Apparatus for recovering scrap metal



o. c-zaw APPARATUS FOR RECOVER alu ..Ju H

Je J mln fra nk D. Chew ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 26,

Frank D. Chew, New Pa., assignor y to Aluminum Company of America, Pittsburgh,

Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania application July so. 194s. sensi Nascar-:1

This invention relates to the recovery of highly oxidizable metals, such asmagnesium and aluminum, and more particularlyit relates to an ap'- paratus and a process for the reclamation of relatively fine pieces of metallic magnesium scrap.

inthe fabrication of metallic articles, a relatively large amount lof scrap in. the form of chipsborings, sawdust, turnings, scalpings and the like is produced, particularly in machining the-articles to ilnal 'sizefand'shape or in grinding and sandblastingthe articles at some stage 4 calm. (c1.- asc-s3) 2 f i vide apparatus forreclaiming highlyoxidizable,

y relatively ilnely divided metallic scrap. lAnother object of the invention is the provision of apparatus for reclaiming highly oxidizable.,arela tively finely divided metallic scrap and, in particular, finely divided metallic' magnesium scrap which has been coated with a flhn of oil or other volatile matter. Still another object lis to provide a process for reclaiminghighly oxidizable,

inthe fabricating procedure. This scrap by the Y y,very nature of the machining, grinding or sandblastingeperation is relatively finely divided, and

. consequently a large surface area for a given 1 weight of this materialis exposed to'theatmos- In this state, highly oxidizable metals, such `asmetallic magnesium, readily ignite at moderately high temperatures and `burn vigorously. and for all practical purposes the metal is thereafter lost. v

Tourecover thisiflnely divided metallic scrap, particularly magnesium scrap, the general practice has been to submerge small portions of the scrap yin molten salts or in molten metal having l' ya 'composition similar to that oi' the scrap, with a hand puddler-and there holding the scrap until j it'is'completely fused with the lmelt. This practice is not onlyl slow and tedious, but in the case of magnesium, due to the fact that the specific .gravity of the particles is lower than that of the melt. considerable Y dimculty has been encounf tered in preventing these particles from rising to thesu'rface and burning; consequently the recovery of the fine scrap hasv not been consistently high. Furthermore,y by this handpuddling pro-v relatively finely divided metallic scrap whichhas been coated with a lm of oil or'other volatile matter.

The invention broadly consists 4in bringing finelyl divided, highly oxidizable metalhaving a film of oil or other volatile matter thereoninto a zone above a melt of metal or salts where the temperature is suilclently high to volatilize the oil or like matter, progressively passing the scrap through this zone at a rate suiilcientlyslow to 50 vaporize substantially all ofthevolatileY matter thereby excludlng'substantially all" offthe lair from the scrap, then submerging the scrap into the melt and there, while agitating the melt. holding the scrap until it is completely fused.

Although the melt into which the scrap is subcedure there is always 'considerable danger that enoughof the ilne particles will rise to the surface of the metal at one particular momentto cause an explosive reaction endangering'v the workman and equipment.'

,The bulk of the fine magnesium scrap produced in machining operations wherein the metallic articles are constantly flooded with oil at the section on whichthe machining is being per'- merged is preferably of a composition substantially the same as that of the scrap. any `metal in which the scrap is soluble oriany salts of lower density than magnesium may be employed as the melt. The invention contemplates the removal of the excess oil and the like which accumulate above the aforementioned zone` by condensation of the vapors formed insaid zone.

The apparatus for carrying out the presentprocess briefly consists of a furnace in which a melt of metal or salts is held, avertically disposed conveyor screw andpipe, the lower ends of which are submerged beneath the surface of r f the melt. va hopper for feedingscrap to the conformed. The scrap such as turnings, chips, etc.. d,

consequentlyvis covered with an oily lm which is not, `in general practice, removed before the scrap is introducedinto the scrap recovery furnace.` When this scrap is introduced into the melting furnace, much of the oil comprising the film burns, leaving a deposit of carbon on the scrap, which contaminates the melt after the scrap is fused therewith. f

u The object of the present invention is to proveyor screw and pipe, a drain near the base of the hopper for collecting the volatile kmatter whether in the gaseous or liquid state. an ad- .instable baille disposed .horizontally in the melt for holding the scrap beneath the surface ofthe metal-until it is completely fused with thefxnelt,

and a means for rotating the conveyor screw.- ySo that the present invention maybe more clearly understood, reference is now madeto one embodiment thereof. In the drawing which 'clearly illustrates this embodiment, the figure is an elevation of the apparatus showing the' furnace and various parts of the scrap feeding mechanism in cross section. u

The4 furnace with 'which the scrap feeding mechanism cooperates isa conventional meltingVA l, scrap. hopper 9, and vertically disposed con` veyor pipe and screw I and II. An opening and cover therefor, not shown in thedrawing, are

` provided in plate 1 so that the furnace operator may add fluxing material to the melt in the crucible and remove excess dross from the surface of the melt while thescrap recovery operation is in progress. The opening is not used to withdraw metal since the feeding mechanism is removed from the furnace when the crucible has been filled and the metal is ready for use. Scrap hopper l, which is funnel-shaped, is supported at its top by frame l and `at its bottom by plate 1, and opens into lower section i2 of conveyor pipe I0 in which screw II rotates.

1 and is integrally joined to the base of hopper 0, forming` a continuous and smooth surface at the point of juncture between the hopper and section I2. 4

Section I2 opens into the melt near the bottom of the crucible. and when the apparatus is in op- A. l eration, the lower end of this section is always n l below the surface of the melt. An upper section .-f of conveyor pipe I0 is provided to form a sup- Port and shield for screwI I. The upper section,

which. is rigidly secured in frame l by brackets 2l and 2 I, supports bearing 22, in which the shaft oi' screw II isjournalled. Screw II, which extends Athefull length'oi' sections I3 and I4 and the `space therebetween at the bottom of the hopper, projects a short distance below the lower end of section I2 into the melt near the bottom of the crucible. -When the apparatus is in operation, the rotation of the lower end of the screw, being exposed to the melt, agitates the molten metal and'thereby yfacilitates fusion of the scrap with the melt, and expulsion of any volatile matter present in the melt. The screw extending the full length of section I2 seals this section from downward currents of air, thus preventing the oily vapors and scrap from burningl in-this high temperature zone. Any air which is carried into section l2 with the scrap by screw' II is expelled by the ascending oily vapors. By this construe'- tion a non-oxidizing atmosphere is maintained in section I2 throughout the feeding operation.

Screw II may be rotated by any suitable power means, but an air driven motor, shown at 23, is preferably employed in the present apparatus since choking which may occur in section I2 prevents the screw from rotating. An air driven motor will stop without causing injury thereto and can'be readily reversed to reopen the conveyor pipe.

As the solid pieces of magnesium scrap arl; discharged from the conveyorpipe into'the melt, they immediately proceed to rise to the surface, where, upon contacting the atmosphere, they readily burn. To prevent the solid pieces of scrap from rising to the surface, the present invention contemplates the use of a baille 24 positioned in the melt above the lower Since the dross which unavoidably accumulates y end of the conveyor pipe.

in the melt tends also to rise to the surface, the baille is preferably perforated with holes small enough to prevent the scrap from passing through the baille but large enough to permit the dross to pass, thus preventing the dross from collecting under the baille. By thisfarrangement the dross collects on the surface, where it can be readily removed while the apparatus is in operation.

The baille 124 is suspended in the melt by two small steel cables and 28 which run over pulleys 21 and 28 and coil on reels 28 and 3B respectively. The baule is raised or lowered in the melt by turning crank Il which in turn rotatcs shaft 32 and reels 29 and 30, and then is maintained at the desired level by a' ratchet indicated by reference numeral 33. Shaft 32 is journalled in bearings 34 and 35. To steady bame 24 and to maintain it in a horizontal position in the melt, sleeve 40 isprovided which is slidably mounted over section I2 of the conveyor pipe and which is rigidly secured to the baille. Holes The lower section I2 of the -v conveyor pipe is rigidly supported by base `plate 4I and 42 are provided in base platel and baille 24 for inserting thermocouple 43 in the melt. It is not essential that a close fit be provided ybetween the sides of the baffle and the sides of the crucible since most of the particles of scrap vin the melt risey nearer the central portion of the melt; this, therefore, permits the use of standard tapered walled crucibles bythe present invention.

Referring now to the means for removing 'Oil and other volatile matter, a plurality of holes 44 are disposed in hopper 8 near the base thereof, which holes communicate with annular gutter 45.

- This "gutter, which is rigidly secured and tightly sealed to the.outside of the hopper, communi-- cates throughv pipe 46 with a vacuum apparatus, 'not shown. for forcibly withdrawing the volatile matter from the base of the hopper. By employingvacuum to withdraw the volatile matter, not

' only is most of the liquid removed -through gutter 45 and pipe 46, but much lof the `gaseous matter 4which would pass oif into the atmosphere and contaminate the air in the plant is also collected.

In placing the scrap feeding mechanism in operating position on the furnace and in removing it therefrom, the whole mechanism must be lifted by some means such as an overhead crane. To provide a convenient-place on which a lifting mechanism may be attached, eye 41 in arm 48 is located at the top and center of the mechanism.

To facilitate centering the mechanism on thev crucible when it is swung into position, lugs 48 are provided on the bottom side of base plate 1,

l which fit into the top of the crucible.

In the operation of the present apparatus the 4feeding mechanism is placed in position on the than that shown in the drawing. Magnesium' furnace as shown inthe drawing, and a sufficient amount of melt is vprovided in crucible 3 to cover the lower end of section I2 and plate 24, the surface of the melt preferably being somewhat lower scrap such as lathe turningshaving a lm of oil thereon is placed in hopper 9 and rotation. of screw II is started. As the'screw rotates, the scrap in the bottom ofthe hopper is carried down into section I2 of the conveyor pipe wherein the scrap becomes progressively hotter as the melt is approached. At some point within thissectionv but above the melt, the temperature becomes sumciently high to volatilize the oil on the surface of the scrap, thereby forming an inert atmosphere in section vI2 which, by replacing the air therein, prevents the scrap from oxidizing. With The scrap, being somewhat lighter than the melt,y

ascends therein until it contacts baille -24 where it remains until it has completely fused with the melt. The dross andthe gas which have been introduced into the melt pass upwardly through the holes in the baille to the surface of the melt.

As the operation proceeds,and the level of themelt rises, baille 24 is raised intermittently by the operator to provide a greater volume of melt below the baille in which the scrap may melt.

When the crucible has become filled with molten metalby theintroduction of scrap, the feeding mechanism is removed from the furnace.`

Ina modification of the present invention, a floating baille is employed in place of the manually adjustable baille shown in the drawing. The floating baille. which is sub-stantially the same asthe manually operated baille except for air chambers which are provided to give the baille sufficient buoyancy to remain near the surface of the melt at all times, progressively provides an increased volume of molten metal in which the scrap may melt.

In theappended claims the word melt inl -I cludes any molten metal, flux or salt which is suitable for thev present'operation.

I claim: t 1. An apparatus for recovering highly oxidiz able metal scrap contaminated with volatilizable matter, comprising a furnace adapted to receive a melt therein, a hopper for said scrap above said furnace, ka power actuated conveyor for removing said scrap progressively downward from said hopper andifor delivering it to the furnace melt beneath the surface thereof, said conveyor being enclosed within a tube extending through the furnace chamber above the surface ofthe melt and below the surface of said melt, said matter volatilizing in said conveyor and rising to said hopper, means at the base of said hopper for withdraw?- ng said volatilized matter from the apparatus, and a horizontal perforated baiile adapted to be suspended in said melt above the scrap discharge end of said conveyor for holding any unmelted portion of said scrap beneath the surface of said melt until the scrap completely fuses with the melt.

3. An apparatus for recovering highly oxidizable metal scrap having a film of volatilizable matter thereon, comprising a furnace adapted to receive a melt therein, a hopper for said scrap above said furnace, a screw lconveyor for delivering said scrap progressively downward from said hopper to beneath the surface of the furnace melt, said screw conveyor passing through the furnace chamber above the surface of the melt and terminating below the surface thereof, said matter volatilizing in said conveyor and rising to said hopper, vacuum means at the base of said hopper for withdrawing said volatilized matter -from the apparatus, means for rotating the conveyor screw, and an adjustable horizontal perforated baffle adapted to be suspended in said melt above the scrap discharge end of said conveyor for holding any unmelted portion of said scrap beneath the surface of said melt until the scrap completely fuses with the melt, the melt being agitated during the operation of the apparatus by the rotation of said conveyor screw.

4. An apparatus for recovering metal values from finely divided oxidizable metal scrap conterminating belowv the surface of said melt, and a scrap beneath the surface of said melt until the scrap completely fuses therewith.

2. An apparatus for recovering highly oxidiz-' able -metal scrapphaving a nlm of volatilizable matter thereon, comprising a furnace adapted to receive a melt therein,'a'hopper for saidscrap v above said f furnace, a power actuated conveyor for delivering said scrap 'progressively downward from said hopper to beneath the surface of the furnace melt, said conveyor being enclosed 'within the tube'extending through the `furnace chamber above the surface of the melt and terminating ,file o f this patent:

taminated with volatilizable matter, comprising a furnace adapted to receive a melt therein, a hopper for said scrap above the furnace, a power actuated conveyor for progressively and downwardly moving said scrap from the hopperto the melt, said conveyor being enclosed within a tube extending through the furnace chamber above thesurface of the melt and terminating below the surface of said melt, and means at the base of said hopper for withdrawing volatilized matter from the apparatus.

FRANK D. CHEW.

. REFERENCES CITED lThe following references are of record in the UNrrEn s'rA'rEs PA'I'EN'rs Number Name Date 4 .1,292,582 Coulson Jan. 2a, 1'919 2,072,650 Schmeller, Sr. Mar. 2, 1937 '2,089,742 Garwin Aug. 10, 1937 1,630,361 '/'Stay et al May 31, 1927 2,035,282 Schmeller, Sr Mar. 24, 1927 1,904,781 Crawford Apr. 18, 1933 969,253 Diack Sept. 6, 1910 1,513,875 Wilke Nov. 4, 1924 2,300,141 

